XCOM
The Extraterrestrial Combat Unit Project (XCOM) was set up by the Midnight in the year 2525, following the appearance of the Invaders that left the Midnight hopelessly outgunned. However, XCOM's first incarnation was founded in 1800 under the name the Torchwood Institute but it went mostly unused until 2525 when it was revitalised as XCOM. XCOM is led by Commander Fielde "Gold" Locke, who is also Union Strike's close personal friend. Fielde is assisted by Central Officer Bradford, a Pony born in Manehattan. XCOM was targeted by a rival Pony-only force known as ENDURE, which proved to be less of a threat than the Invaders. As such, they were vastly ignored. XCOM did all it could to fend off the aliens so the Midnight could focus on attacking Exodus but ultimately was defeated when XCOM HQ under the Houses of Parliament was destroyed. XCOM's survivors scattered and went underground, avoiding all contact with the Humans and aliens for five years as the Midnight fled to Equestria. XCOM later arose from the shadows and attacked ADVENT, giving the Midnight time to prepare themselves for their attack. During the Final Battle, the Avenger (XCOM's mobile headquarters) entered the fray carrying many Firestorm fighters and XCOM soldiers. This allowed the Midnight to win the war. XCOM had previously worked on the "Enemy Within" project which allowed the force to enhance their forces using the strange substance known as Meld. This project was suspended upon the Mineral War's beginning (in which XCOM had no involvement) due to the machine/gemstone hybrid substance needed to progress in this science. Important Members 'Commander Fielde Locke '''leads XCOM, and governs all of its actions. '''Central Officer Bradford '''is Locke's right-hand, proving advice both in and out of combat. '''Professor Vanen '''is XCOM's chief scientist, responsible for all of their technologies. '''Big Sky '''and '''Firebrand '''are XCOM's top pilots. '''Union Strike (CHS) '''was a Psi Op for XCOM and became the new Commander in Enemy Reborn. '''Sunset Shimmer '''decided to become a Specialist, using her GREMLIN to hack targets. '''Amethyst Rook '''is a professional Sharpshooter with an emphasis on Gunslinging. '''Ivan "Bourbon" Gorchevski '''is XCOM's best Sniper, able to hit anything at any range. Enlisted Species '''Brits '''were XCOM's first species, and excel at leading. '''Ponies '''are great for Magic attacks and support. '''Equestrians '''are the humanoid counterparts of Ponies in the world of CHS. Allied Factions '''The Midnight '''were the founding faction of XCOM, but split away from it. '''EXALT '''wasn't marked as an official ally but the two factions were friendly all the same. Sub-Factions '''Strike One '''was XCOM's lead squad. Hostile Factions '''Genesis '''was Humanity's response to XCOM. '''ADVENT '''was Genesis's reincarnation. '''ENDURE '''is XCOM's arch-nemesis. '''EXCEL '''was the policing shroud for ENDURE, making them XCOM's foe. '''The Rebels '''who didn't ally with XCOM attacked them, leading to a Resistance-wide struggle. '''The New Lunar Order '''was marked an enemy by being tyrants. Post-DW Two weeks after the Dimensional War, XCOM lost contact with its outposts through the fabled Mirror that led to Canterlot High School. XCOM went to investigate with an under-armed and under-prepared team of Heroes, unable to take weapons due to the Mirror's properties of not allowing machinery through it. ENDURE had found a way into this world and using the time difference, they had set up a new community and five years had gone by. XCOM went into hiding, cut off from their allies in Equestria, and slowly prepared to strike back and free the world. The security force ENDURE had set up (known as EXCEL) proved to be less threatening than the uber-enhanced ENDURE forces. XCOM struggled but managed to gain enough resources and units to take back the world, starting their tech from scratch and recruiting rebels, people who refused EXCEL's control. Among the Rebels, Sunset Shimmer was recruited early on as a Specialist who proved invaluable when hacking EXCEL and ENDURE's computer systems. Union Strike's CHS counterpart was also recruited as an uber-powerful Psi Operative. XCOM was set upon by EXCEL and ENDURE forces once their ship, the Avenger, was sabotaged by Twilight Sparkle. XCOM was unable to defend the mobile headquarters, and it was destroyed making the world think XCOM was gone and the Resistance was doomed. However, XCOM's top personell escaped and regrouped, rallying Resistance outposts across the world to launch a major strike on EXCEL and ENDURE by hijacking the EXCEL transmissions of celebration. XCOM then attacked ENDURE head-on, leading to an encounter with Amnesia and Twilight Sparkle. Though Fielde was gravely wounded via impalement on his own sword and the rest of the team was unable to fight, Twilight's act of releasing the Magic had turned her into a power-hungry psychopath and forced XCOM to forge an alliance with ENDURE and EXCEL to stop her. Twilight proved far stronger than the EXCEL and ENDURE forces, but Sunset Shimmer utilised the same device Twilight had prior to empower herself, Fielde Locke and Union Strike. Their combined powers stopped Twilight and saved the world. Upon returning to Equestria, XCOM was left alone and confused by the Equestrian Civil War, letting all of its operatives go into hiding to ensure their safety. This was one war they could not get involved in. Post-ECW Upon the rise of the New Lunar Order, Union, Kate and Connor searched for the legend known as Project X, eventually finding the Mirror that Union had come from. XCOM came out of the Mirror and declared war on the NLO, as well as any who got in their way, while making Vault 115's secret lower levels, the Archives, their main base. The proceeding war was close but resulted in XCOM's victory, with their old Commander rejoining the army and resuming his post, his Ghoulification reversed by the Magic he had used to get Kate and the others into the Omega Base. XCOM was later brought to its knees by the Equestrian Empire, and apparently wiped out by the uber-powerful faction. Trivia The original incarnation's name (Torchwood Institute) is a reference to the faction within the BBC TV show known as ''Doctor Who ''and the show ''Torchwood, also broadcast by the BBC.